Health Briefs: Jan. 22

Wednesday

Jan 23, 2013 at 8:09 AM

Neonatal nurse practitioners join Park Ridge HealthThe Baby Place at Park Ridge Health has two new providers on the newborn care team: Neonatal nurse practitioners Diane Duffy, MS, NNP-BC, and Teri McDonald, NNP-BC. Duffy and McDonald bring extensive experience in recognizing, evaluating and stabilizing newborns with unexpected health complications, as well as educating families about newborn care and needs.Duffy and McDonald will be working closely with pediatric hospitalists as well as the nursing staff at The Baby Place to coordinate care for newborns and their families."The addition of these two exceptional NNPs is a natural and important step in taking our nursery to the next level," said Dr. Sandra Schorr, a newborn hospitalist at Park Ridge Health since 2006. "I appreciate and commend Park Ridge Health administration for their foresight in adding Diane and Teri to our pediatric newborn staff."Duffy has been working in the neonatal field since 1983. She graduated from Ann May School of Nursing in Neptune, N.J., with her RN degree in 1983 and proceeded to work as a staff RN in a Level III Neonatal Intensive Care Unit in Long Branch, N.J. In 1988, Duffy graduated from Monmouth University in West Long Branch, N.J., with her Bachelor of Science in nursing. She returned to school in 1996 to earn her Master of Nursing/Neonatal Nurse Practitioner from the University of Pennsylvania. Upon receiving her NNP, Duffy worked in a Level III NICU for another 10 years. Five years ago, she moved to the Asheville area to work as a neonatal nurse practitioner at Mission Hospital's NICU and labor and delivery unit. McDonald has been a board-certified neonatal nurse practitioner since 1989. She obtained her nursing degree in 1985 from the University of South Carolina Spartanburg and completed the neonatal nurse practitioner program at West Virginia University in 1989. McDonald has provided daily care and management for pre-term and sick newborns in North and South Carolina Level II and Level III NICUs since 1989. Call 855-774-5433 or visit www.parkridge health.org for more information.

SPINDALEHumorist to speak Feb. 2 at IsothermalProfessional speaker and humorist Jeanne Robertson will be the keynote speaker for the 2013 Women Together program at 3 p.m. Feb. 2 on the stage of Isothermal Community College's Performing Arts Center, 286 ICC Loop Road, Spindale. Robertson, a Miss Congeniality winner in the Miss America Pageant, leaves audiences not only with a smile on their faces, but also thinking about her message — that a sense of humor is not only a laughing matter, but a strategy for success. "Jeanne Robertson is the perfect fit for our annual theme of ‘Living, Loving and Laughing,' " said Jill Miracle, executive director of Rutherford Regional Health Foundation. "Our guests will leave the show with smiles on their faces and the knowledge that they have helped provide care for women who need care during a pivotal point in their lives." In addition to speaking engagements, Robertson is also the author of several books and in 2001 was named North Carolinian of the Year by the North Carolina Press Association. Tickets for Robertson's performance are $24 or $29. For tickets, call 828-286-9990 or visit found ationshows.org for more information.

MAHEC to train more family physiciansBlue Ridge Community Health Services, Mountain Area Health Education Center, Pardee Hospital and the MAHEC Hendersonville Family Medicine Residency Program are collaborating to increase the number of newly graduated doctors entering the family medicine residency in Hendersonville.This effort by the health care organizations anticipates the increased demand for primary care physicians under the Affordable Care Act.By utilizing grant dollars made available to MAHEC under the Affordable Care Act's teaching health center program, the planned collaboration will not only increase the number of family medicine physicians training locally, but will also increase access for patients who struggle with a lack of health insurance and other barriers to accessing health care, according to a MAHEC news release.MAHEC will be increasing the number of residents entering its Hendersonville Family Medicine Residency, and the operations of the MAHEC outpatient clinical site, operated by Pardee, would be assumed by BRCHS. The plan requires final approval, but is anticipated to be complete by July 1.According to Dr. Geoffrey Jones, the program director of the residency program, patients shouldn't experience any change in their patient-physician relationship with the transition to BRCHS, but the goal is for the area to gain new, well-trained physicians for the long term. "We look forward to enhancing our residency program through this partnership," Jones stated in the news release. "Patients will continue to see all of the same providers and staff, but under the new banner of BRCHS. We look forward to expanding our residency classes through this funding initiative and retaining even more graduates to stay in the Hendersonville area."

Seminars explain mood disorder treatmentDr. William Simons of Park Ridge Center for Mood Disorders will conduct two presentations about the treatment of mood disorders with the Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation in February. The sessions are set for: u 6-7:30 p.m. Feb. 12 at the Center for Mood Disorders, 50 Hospital Drive, Suite 3C, at Park Ridge Health.u Noon-1 p.m. Feb. 28 in the Duke Room at Park Ridge Health.The noninvasive treatment is being used at top medical centers including the Mayo Clinic, UCLA, the Cleveland Clinic and UNC. TMS is an FDA-approved treatment that involves no medication, pain or sexual side effects. Using an MRI-strength magnet, TMS stimulates the area of the brain that is underactive with depression, restoring mood, energy, initiative and interests.A free meal will be provided at each presentation. Space is limited, and reservations are required. Call 828-650-8034 for more information.

Blue Cross employees drop more than 5 tonsIn January 2012, Blue Cross and Blue Shield of North Carolina launched the "5 Ton Challenge" to encourage its 4,000 employees to lose a combined total of 10,000 pounds. BCBSNC employees took the challenge, and after nine months, they exceeded their goal by losing 11,301 pounds. To help motivate employees to participate, BCBSNC selected 25 "Weight Warriors" as champions of the challenge. The Weight Warriors shared their weight-loss journeys through videos, personal blog posts, discussion boards and news articles on the company's intranet. The Weight Warriors helped inspire a larger portion of BCBSNC employees to lose weight in 2012 than any other year since 2006.Throughout the challenge, the Weight Warriors held true to their health and fitness commitments and lost almost 650 pounds. In addition to these resources, BCBSNC inspired employees to lose weight in 2012 with the possibility of reduced health care costs. Employees who achieved a body mass index of less than 28, or who lost 5 percent of their body weight, in 2012 were eligible to receive a credit toward their health care premiums in 2013. Visit www.bcbsnc.com/5tonchallenge for more information.